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JOHANNESBURG – Remember when scoring an international business trip felt like winning the office lottery? Reality check: your body disagrees.
That five-day sprint to Tokyo – the one with back-to-back meetings and seven-hour time difference – is why you’re spending every weekend in recovery mode. And Monday? You’re back at your desk running on fumes.
Here’s what business travel experts now understand: it’s not you, it’s your itinerary.
“Most travellers blame themselves when they feel wrecked after business trips,” says Mummy Mafojane, GM at FCM. “They think they should sleep better, hydrate more, or hit the hotel gym. But they’re missing the fundamental issue – their bodies literally need more time to adjust.”
Enter the one-week rule – possibly the most straightforward travel wellness hack you’ll ever implement.
The concept is based on solid physiological research: your body requires approximately one day per time zone crossed to fully recalibrate its circadian rhythm. Cross six time zones, need six days. Seven zones, seven days. It’s that simple.
Yet most business trips still follow the outdated 3-5 day model, which guarantees you’re heading home precisely when your body has barely started adjusting to local time. And the fallout? Not good.
A Mailman School of Public Health study found that employees who travel extensively report higher stress levels and significantly worse health outcomes than their non-travelling colleagues. Meanwhile, World Travel Protection research revealed over half of frequent business travellers experience burnout symptoms directly tied to their travel patterns.
When your circadian rhythm is disrupted, your cognitive function takes a serious hit. Decision-making suffers. Creativity plummets. Immune function weakens. Your ability to read social cues – crucial in cross-cultural business settings – deteriorates. Add the pressure of high-stakes meetings in unfamiliar settings, and you’ve got the perfect storm for subpar performance.
“We’ve normalised the idea of pushing through jet lag,” says Mafojane. “But would you expect an athlete to compete at their peak while sleep-deprived and disoriented? Then why do we expect it from business professionals making million-rand decisions?”
THE ONE-WEEK RECOMMENDATION
Mafojane says travel management companies (TMCs) like FCM are increasingly recommending a wellness-forward approach.
“Companies need to have candid conversations about the hidden costs of compressed trips,” says Mafojane. “When executives understand they’re potentially operating at 60-70% capacity during these quick trips – and the business implications of that – the one-week rule suddenly makes perfect sense.”
ADAPTING YOUR TRAVEL POLICY
For organisations serious about implementing the one-week rule, Mafojane recommends a phased approach to policy updates:
“Start with your highest-value international trips – those crossing five or more time zones with significant business impact,” she advises. She suggests companies first target traveller segments most affected by jet lag: executives over 50, team members with health considerations and those making presentations or negotiations within 24 hours of arrival.
“Document the business case beyond wellness,” Mafojane emphasises. “Better preparation, stronger relationship-building, higher-quality decision-making – these are measurable advantages of properly timed trips.”
Even for organisations unable to immediately implement the full one-week policy, Mafojane recommends incremental improvements: “Add just one adaptation day to existing trips. Allow work-from-hotel mornings after overnight flights. Create space in the schedule for recovery. Even small changes yield significant benefits.”
Beyond extending your stay, these strategies can dramatically improve your travel experience she says:
Book daytime arrivals
Landing during daylight hours gives your body crucial light exposure that helps reset your internal clock faster. Mafojane recommends prioritising these arrival times over rock-bottom fares when possible.
Sleep-proof your hotel
“Look beyond the standard hotel amenities,” says Mafojane. “Quality blackout curtains, rooms away from lifts, premium bedding – these aren’t luxuries, they’re recovery tools.” She suggests requesting these specifications when booking accommodations.
Build in buffer zones
Schedule at least one full day before critical presentations or negotiations when crossing multiple time zones. Similarly, avoid packing your calendar the day you return home.
Log off meaningfully
“Travellers should establish clear availability windows while abroad,” says Mafojane. “Constant connectivity to the home office disrupts your ability to adapt to local time.” She recommends setting travel communication protocols that protect adjustment periods.